Pacific storm to bring rain to Ramona and backcountry

A cold Pacific storm will bring rain, gusty wind and snowfall to the area today, forecasters said.

Rainfall began hitting North County about 3:30 this morning, and scattered light showers were expected throughout the county, according to the National Weather Service.

Also expected were downpours this afternoon, likely bringing between a quarter and a half-inch of rain to coastal areas, up to an inch on west-facing mountain slopes and less than a tenth of an inch in the desert, NWS forecasters said.

They said today’s high temperature in Julian will only reach 38 degrees. Today’s high is predicted to be 57 in Ramona, 47 in Santa Ysabel, 59 in Oceanside, and in the mid-60s in San Diego.

Temperatures are predicted to drop to freezing levels in many mountain and valley communities.

Winds will blow at 25 miles per hour along the coast and gust up to 45 mph the mountains and deserts, forecasters said, warning of potentially treacherous driving conditions in the East County highlands, particularly for people in high profile vehicles.

Snow will fall around the 5,000-foot level, which may drop by as much as another 1,000 feet by tonight, and drifts up to four inches deep are likely, according to meteorologists. Hikers and campers planning to visit the mountain, especially San Gorgonio and San Jacinto, should be prepared for subfreezing temperatures.